People‑First AI Fund: $40.5M for 208 US Nonprofits

The People‑First AI Fund is an OpenAI Foundation programme awarding $40.5 million in unrestricted grants to 208 US nonprofits. It prioritises community‑centred initiatives that advance AI literacy, strengthen civic life, and expand economic opportunity, with funds disbursed by year‑end and a second wave of Board‑directed grants to follow.

Why OpenAI launched a People‑First fund

The OpenAI Foundation set out a simple mandate: resource communities first, technology second. Instead of prescribing programmes, the Fund backs local organisations that already understand their neighbours’ needs—then gets out of the way with unrestricted support. The result is faster starts, fewer reporting burdens, and solutions that look different (as they should) from town to town.

What OpenAI is doing differently

• Unrestricted by design: Grants trust local leaders to decide whether the next pound should go to childcare, laptops, or a community venue.

• Breadth over bigness: 208 small and mid‑sized nonprofits across the US, from libraries to workforce groups and local media.

• Follow‑through: Funding disbursed quickly, with a Board‑directed second wave planned to deepen reach.

“Maya and the Library Lab”

Maya runs a mid‑western library. For years she’s wanted evening classes to help shift‑workers learn safe, productive AI skills—how to check facts, write a CV, use accessibility tools. Budgets and grant red tape kept pushing the idea to “later”.

When the People‑First AI Fund arrived, it didn’t dictate a curriculum or insist on new headcount. It delivered unrestricted support. Within days, Maya extended opening hours, paid two trusted part‑time tutors, and set aside funds for childcare and bus passes. The library co‑created a four‑week “AI & Everyday Life” series with local parents and a veterans’ group. By the second cohort, graduates were co‑teaching. One attendee used built‑in screen‑reading to apply for a job they couldn’t access before; another negotiated a shift change using a plan drafted in class.

This is the bet OpenAI is making: empower the people who already know what will work. The Fund measures success in lives made simpler and opportunities opened, not just outputs tallied.

Inside the grantmaking approach

• Listen first: OpenAI engaged with practitioners to understand bottlenecks—time, trust, and tiny but decisive costs.

• Back the basics: Small line items (transport, childcare, accessibility software) often unlock participation at scale.

• Share learnings: Grantees are encouraged to publish practical curricula and templates, so others can adapt what works.

Early indicators of impact

• Access expanded: more learners from underserved groups able to attend due to barrier‑busting support.

• Skills gained: practical AI literacy—prompts, fact‑checking, bias awareness, accessibility features, job‑search use.

• Civic life strengthened: local newsrooms, libraries, and community centres running AI‑enabled services.

• Opportunity created: learners reporting interviews, certifications, or role changes supported by new skills.

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FAQs

What is the People‑First AI Fund?
An OpenAI Foundation grant programme funding community‑centred, people‑first initiatives related to AI.

How many grantees are there?
208 nonprofits in the initial cohort.

How much funding is being distributed?
$40.5 million in unrestricted grants in the first wave, with a second wave planned.

Who manages the fund?
The OpenAI Foundation.

What kinds of projects are prioritised?
AI literacy & public understanding, strengthening civic life, and economic opportunity.

Are funds restricted to specific uses?
No—grants are unrestricted so organisations can allocate resources where they have greatest impact.